Former coach accused of recording teen in shower

A former assistant tennis coach in the West Plains R-VII school district faces two misdemeanor charges of invasion of privacy. Jarrod Girdley, 50, of West Plains is accused of hiding a recording device in a bathroom and capturing videos of a minor child while showering. 

 

A sworn statement from Lieutenant Torey Thompson of the Howell County Sheriff’s Department says, “It’s incomprehensible the defendant’s…actions don’t constitute a more serious offense. However, such is the state of Missouri State Law. The allegations appear to involve predatory-like sexual behavior directed at an underage child.”

 

As previously reported by Howell County News, Girdley was approved by the West Plains School Board as assistant high school boys’ tennis coach in April of this year. The board approved Girdley’s termination on October 12. Formal criminal charges were filed in Howell County courts on October 20. 

 

The minor child in question became suspicious of Girdley’s allegedly rummaging around in a bathroom cabinet immediately after she announced she was going to take a shower. The victim searched the cabinet and found a recording device disguised as an ink pen.

 

The victim and her mother located the pen and an SD card and turned both items over to Howell County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). HSCO obtained a search warrant for the SD card, and through a forensic examination, restored two deleted video files depicting the child in the shower. 

 

Lt. Thompson’s probable cause statement says additional criminal charges may be forthcoming. 

 

Girdley was arrested on October 27 and posted a $10,000 bond the same day.